Crap on a stick! I just realize at 38 I’m grown up. I’ve gone from being carefree and silly all the time to mostly serious, thoughtful and (dare I say it?) almost responsible. Ugh. My evil twin, SINthia, calls it straight-up boring. Carefree rip anyway… She gets everything she wants. Which is where my current, recurrent issues are coming from. Just once I would like to throw a fit and get my way. Dave Ramsey says there is a grocery store kid inside everyone of us.

If I could feed that child within I would say this: I want new furniture. Waaahhh. Not the kind on sale, the expensive kind, with faux leather that’s soft and downy and recliners on each end and a whole room to match. *SINthia on the floor–thrashing about shrieking* I don’t want another piece-a hand-me-down, craigslist crap. Early garage sale is NOT a decorating style. They call it vintage cause it’s old…not she-she. Shabby sheek is just another way of saying ‘my husband won’t give me the freakin’ credit card or the keys to the damn-it emergency fund“.

(As my boys watch in wide-eyed wonder I would continue banging my head against the floor screaming…)

There’s a TV. I wanna TV. I ate all my peas, now give me my TV. I’m tired of that ten-year-old albatross in our living room. I’m sick to death of stomping across the living room to tell the kids for the fourth time to clean their rooms, messing up the TV because of a loose internal connection, then jumping up and down in front of it until the ding dong dang damn it thing stops buzzing and hissing like a giant cockroach…If I had a high def skinny TV I could do my workout DVDs better. Waaaah.

Sniff. Okay. Sniff. I’m done.

Please tell me this sounds familiar. You know what’s even worse? I’ve brainwashed Ben into buying all this Dave Ramsey stuff is a good idea. He now thinks saving money is sexy. He just asked the other day if had enough money to write a check for a new (angels singing) TV and furniture?

Yes.

Where is it?

In the emergency fund.

Oh, so we can’t touch it?

Not unless it’s a true emergency. (Car explodes, natural disaster strikes, someone dies, etc..) Or if we both agree…(Eve dangling the apple…)

Get behind me, Satan, is what he was thinking. Sounds like we need to make an envelope for TV and furniture, is what he said.

*Gah*

I wanted to holler, “Run! Run! As fast as you can, before you get sucked into being a responsible grown-up. Turning 21 was fun, the rest is overrated. Please, run. I’ll martyr myself. Take SINthia with you. Don’t look back, damn it run.”

But alas, the fox had already eaten the gingerbread man and in this story Adam didn’t eat the apple. I was left with the faint smell of bedtime, a hand-me-down fairy tale and a grown up for a soul mate. Shite!

With the child within– without, I went over to our money envelopes and with a sigh, wrote TV/Furniture on one and said to anyone who would listen, “Some days it sucks being a grown up.”

What does your child within want need. A new truck? iPad? A new gun? Banjo? A vacation? What’s your poison? Here’s your chance to whine, you best take it. Thanks for listening.

Simply,

Sis

Dear Dr. (Eco),
  I attended the recent breakfast meeting on the economy at (my bank) would like to thank you for your efforts. However, I must confess that, with
exception to the historical data you presented, I believe your conclusions are
incorrect.
  I can empathize with your perspective as you, in your own words, confess that
you never left school after kindergarten. I assume this means that you have
never signed a check on the front, made a payroll, or had an entrepreneurial
idea that you have backed with your own cash, blood sweat and tears? Your
view of economics is based strictly on theory. Perhaps that is why you can be
so cavalier in telling me to send my jobs overseas.
  Aside from the local job loss that would result if I followed your advice, let me
give you an example of another drawback to your suggestion for me to import
my goods and services. GM currently outsources the production of their
transmissions to India. As you may be aware, India is on strike and production
is halted in Michigan as a result. Boy, am I glad we bailed them out so that
production can be paralyzed by something beyond our control! This is certainly
a downfall of having our supply chain spread all over the world, wouldn’t you
agree?
  In response to your perspective of why our economy is in its present state, I will
give you my opinion. In short, it is due to our lack of ability as American
businesses, to compete globally. This inability cannot be blamed on small
business and its entrepreneurs. Part of that credit can go to our educators. Why
were Tom Peters and a Ph.D from mighty Harvard visiting China in 1995 to
study their system? In short, they knew then, as we all know now, that our
education system is broken. We are not competitive on the world stage in large
part due to our curriculum shortfalls.
  Further credit for our lack of competitiveness can be given to the incompetency
of our government. Ours is a bloated government that has been lobbied into
oblivion by special interests. Big business has yet to understand that capital,
labor and management must work together to create return on investment for
the investors. These are investors who have risked their hard earned money to
wager that a company will be a winner, not the MBA that thinks he can create
subprime loans to gamble with all of our futures. Add to this the fact that there
are 535 lawyers creating laws that they have no experience to author, and you get exactly what we have now. Americans lack confidence in our government,education system, and the financial sector.
  In the future, I would carefully consider the answers you give in a non-academic
setting, for there are some who heavily weigh your credentials. For those of us
that have created a company, supplied health insurance, 401k plans, paid
vacation, paid maternity leave, ROI for its investors, created jobs for the people
of the surrounding counties so they could buy homes, and pay taxes so the
state can employee esteemed teachers, your perspective was offensive and
skewed.
  I do agree with your student,(Jim) . (Our) County will continue to
decline in real estate sales until jobs are created. Despite your advice, I will
keep my jobs here and continue to work to get the government off my back. I
will compete with any nation one on one, if you untie my hands from the
bondage of big government.
  I do believe you to be a very intelligent man. Why not pool all the great
financial and intellectual resources at your disposal through the University of
(our state) to create a plan for success for American business? This would lessen
the burden of government on small business, increase state revenues and
prevent further unemployment. This in turn would eliminate the furlough days
that you are currently experiencing.
Best wishes on your future endeavors,
Marlin

President & CEO

When small business owners talk…we need to listen. Like I’ve said before, sometimes you gotta get your hand dirty it’s part of the American work ethic.

Simply,

Sis

(Thanks to BlogHer pic app for the cool photo!)

“After you get your bucket patched you start to fill it up. Drip. Drip. Drip,” Marlin said. (If you missed the first installment of Confessions of a Millionaire click here for Part 1 and here for Part 2.)

This statement made me wonder… Does faucet size matter? Or is it the size of the drip that matters?

The answer is…it depends on when you start dripping. If you start saving at age 18, you don’t need much of a drip to retire very rich. If you are like a lot of people and wait.

And wait.

And wait.

Your money faucet will have some catching up to do. You’ll need to make like the proverbial cow peeing on a flat rock.  Let’s look at Dave Ramsey’s favorite example, Ben and Arthur…shall we?

(You can see this chart and other nifty things at Dave’s website.)

Whoa! Can you believe that? That makes me think our boys will be getting a $2,000 Roth IRA for their high school graduation gift along with a busking sign to help pay for tuition. They might roll their eyes, now, but someday they will thank us.

Is your faucet on? Do you drip, trickle or are you gushing?

If you aren’t dripping…what are you waiting for, the government? They’re broke. Bailouts will just bankrupt this country. Be your own bailout and start investing today. Dave Ramsey says 15% into retirement (social insecurity doesn’t count.) Go. Now. Why are you still reading? Open a Roth IRA today.

Simply,

Sis

PS ~ Take away lessons 1) Start now. 2) Automatic withdrawal is your friend. 3)You don’t have to make a huge amount yearly to retire well.

He explained it this way. If you have holes in your bucket, you’re losing money. First you have to stop putting new holes in it. If you were in a hole and in trouble, the first thing you do is stop digging. Right? So to stop putting new holes in the bucket, by stopping spending. Your bucket will still leak, just not as fast. 

The next thing you do is fix your bucket. (This made me think back to Sesame Street and that old ‘There’s a hole in the bucket song…”)

The holes in the bucket represent debt; credit card debt, automobile debt, school loans, whatever, if you own someone money it’s debt. 

“Well that sounds easy enough. Just patch the holes,” I said.

He giggled, cause he knew therein lies the problem. Self control or putting off instant gratification is a booger bear. It has nothing to do with money and everything to do with behavior.

You know what Dave Ramsey says, “Personal finance is 20% head knowledge and 80% behavior.

If you have holes in your bucket like we used to, bubble gum probably won’t fix the problem. That would be like debt consolidation, it doesn’t work.

The real way to fix a holey bucket is to get some high powered patches to make it like new. If you really want to change, you have to get a new mindset, and so does your spouse for that matter. This is the hardest of all the steps getting out of debt and building wealth. It’s mental and far reaching.

After you get your bucket in working order, that is when the fun begins.  All you need now is a faucet. The bigger the better. Leaky, dripping faucets are great when it comes to building wealth.

Stay tuned for the next installment of Confessions of a Millionaire Part Three ~ Drip. Drip. Drip.

Simply,

Sis

PS ~ The take away lessons this week are… 1)stop spending 2)change your mind–change your behavior 3)pay of debts smallest to largest.

(Thanks to BlogHer PicApp for this photo.)

Marlin is just a common everyday guy who didn’t come from money or marry into it. He grew up in the Midwest on a dairy and his dad taught school.  After high school he went on to pay for college by working for a masonry construction company. After college he got some experience in his chosen trade, borrowed some money and with it went on to build his own small company.

Please note: I’m leaving out what his trade is, to protect him and his family. I really don’t think it matters anyway. I will say if he hadn’t of started his own company, but worked in his trade he would probably earn a median income. Basically everything about the guy is common and nondescript, except for his work ethic, values, and his willingness to take calculated risk.

We have shared quite a few meals and swapped stories and I have always learned something grand either by listening or by watching. One day we were sitting outside his house and he said, “So, how’s that class going where you teach people to get rich.”

I had to laugh, cause when it comes to money, we are far from rich. It’s friends, family, health and ornery cats we are rich in. I said, “Marlin, I don’t teach people to be rich. I teach people to manage their money and live below their means.”

He gut laughed and said, “You are the one that has it wrong. That is how you get rich. Do you think I’ve always lived like this?” As he looked around at his beautiful home and new cars.

He had already told me the answer a year prior.

For years while building his business he rented an old farm house for $100 a month, drove older model used cars and lived well under his means. He maintained he didn’t need a bunch of  payments staring him in the face when he had a responsibility to pay his help first. In the early days there were more than a few weeks he went without a paycheck, so he could pay his help. He watched while his some of his employees drove better cars than him and went out and bought homes. Despite the status quo, he persisted in his meager lifestyle and it paid off big time.

“Sis, I like to compare it to a bucket…”

‘A bucket I thought. Hot dang!’ I had a whole barn full of buckets. I could hardly wait to hear what he had to say next…

Stay tuned for more confessions of a millionaire.

Sis

Lessons: 1) It doesn’t matter what you came from, you can do this. 2) A strong work ethic and values matter greatly. 3) Despite the status quo, live below your means.

(Thanks to Blog PicApp for sharing this photo wiht me!)

I’m a simple gal but, I still like a good hair cut. I’ve cut all the hair at my house for years, including my own. A perk from having dropped out of beauty school. My brother Jay, used to sing “Beauty School Drop Out” on cue, just to watch me twist off.

Once or twice a year I would loose my angles and have to go to the salon to get a grown up haircut and start over. My mother contends it’s easier to find a new gynecologist than a hairdresser. I agree. Dealing with hormones and hair can be dramatic.

Regardless, of the drama of once in a while having a bad haircut day, we have saved over $10,000 since we’ve been married (14 years) by doing most of it ourselves.

Now that we are out of debt, I wear my hair short and have to head to the salon every six to eight weeks (which I’ve grown to kinda like.) I found a great small town spa with ladies that I adore and they are so reasonable, I am happy about tipping. There is only one problem. I cheat on my hairdresser. If total truth be told… a little bit on Ben, too.

Since confession is good for the soul…let me tell you my tale of color.

I am naturally a dark brunette that has been graying since high school. At 36 I’m almost half gray. Ben thinks it would be cool if I let it go gray, but I think until he catches up to me and is totally bald, wrinkled and to the point in life he doesn’t recognize me, I’ll probably color it. Well, I won’t. I’ll have Cornelius do it.

I happened onto Cornelius one day while holding a box of Lorelle color, and muttering under my breath, ’I wish I had someone to do this for me…’  When I looked up, there he was, with one hand on his hip (like a woman would), sizing me up and down and said, in his best foreign accenthe said, ”Cornelius will now, color this mess.”

Although sounding a little gay (my best haircut ever came from a gay guy) he was forceful and steamy. I was a little hesitant until he threatened me with spanking. (Sorry, this is really what happened.) His spa was far from the simple luxury I was used to. In fact it was very comparable to my old bathroom. And besides a few weird quirks like his strange outbursts, “SILENCE! Cornelius will now speak…” that would spook me and cause his cats into a frenzy, I loved him. My hair has never looked so good and it doesn’t cost me a penny more than the hair color itself.

Finding your Cornelius is easier than you think. In fact you might sleep with him already. My Cornelius is not some stange freak. He’s Ben, a military-type, banjo playing, wrangler wearing, man’s man. Who loves me enough to pamper me, cut up with me and act silly while we save just a little more money for our next trip. Sorry ladies, my Cornelius is taken. He is exclusively mine. My hopes are you won’t have to look further than the pillow next to you or to a good friend to find yours.

Everyone is trying to save money today. It seems the little luxuries get the ax first. Why not find your own Cornelius the great, or Fronca, the German masseuse, and save some money? Manicures, pedicures, waxing, and hair color can double as good times shared with friends. If you lack the basic knowledge of pampering,YouTube has some informational hair cutting and coloring videos and other tips.

How do you save money at the salon?

Simply,

Sis

White Vinegar.

Is there anything this magic wonder can’t do? It makes me almost want to marry it. I use it to clean windows, the bathroom, the coffee maker, in the laundry, and on the floors. Did you know it has germ killing ability? And it’s cheap, like me. What’s not to like?

In the coffee maker: Fill the water reservoir with it and turn it on clean and after half the vinegar has gone through, unplug it. Let it set for the day and plug it back in that evening. What that does is holds the vinegar in the water lines allowing you to get more of the hard water crud out. Another little tip from Grams, my mom. Cool huh? We have extremely hard water here in our wheat field, but we’ve also have had the same coffee pot for over ten years now. So this really works.

In the laundry: I put in 1/4 to 1/2 cup in the fabric softener holder thingy. This takes moldy smells out of towels and all the residual soap and detergent out of your laundry during the rinse cycle. I can’t do laundry without it or my clothes line.

In the kitchen: Instead of using jet dry I use white vinegar in that reservoir thingy too. (I only put two teaspoon total of dish washing detergent, too.) My dishes come out clean and lovely.

In the bathroom: I spray and wipe down everything with it. For stubborn soap scum, add some baking soda to make a paste and scrub the enamel parts and the faucets and rinse.

On the floors:  I mix half cup of vinegar to every gallon of water to clean the floors. This works really great for ‘dry mopping’ hardwood floors, that will buff to a shine.

Windows: Mix three tablespoons white vinegar, a quarter teaspoon dish soap and 2 cups of water in a spray bottle for windows that shine. (This will last me a year. That’s how much I love doing windows.)

These are old time tested ways to use this naturally green stuff. Isn’t it weird, what is old is new again. What goes around comes around. What do you use white vinegar for?

Simply,

Sis

It’s no secret, I love rustic decor. I mean, look at this place. If there were a few more antlers, some more old guns and a skull or two it would look just like my living room.

You also know what a freak I am about getting a good deal. I shop garage sales, auctions, thrift stores and such sniffing out bargains. BIG ones. I started this sickness when we were first married and were broke, gathering stuff for our home one piece at a time: here a little, there a little. Fourteen years later, it has past necessity and past time and gone straight to a dad gum addiction.

So you can’t believe how tickled I was to find this…

Do you know what it is? It’s rustic that’s what. Actually it’s a camel saddle. Made from some kind of funky wood, a little raw hide, and some worn leather stuffed with horse hair. I think it’s cool. We use it to pick music on, watch tv on, fold clothes on or whatever. I found a new one, just like it, online for $250. Don’t tell anyone but I paid $10 for this one (I talked them down 20%).

And how about this…

I bought three boxes for a dollar at an auction. Took them home, bleached them and let them dry in the sun, and drew this famous Winchester emblem on one of them. Thirty-five cents later…I have something to hold magazines. Ben loves it and it sure didn’t cost much.

I still have the other boxes. I could do the same thing to them and fill it with homemade pine cone potpourri, a homemade throw, a few western movies, some microwave popcorn: and happy birthday gun freak brother. See. I’m an addict. My cheapness knows no bounds. It oozes from me. I drip with it.

More than one person has sniffed around my house and said things like, ’interesting…unique…where do you find this stuff?…’ I love that. But that’s what happens when you fill your house with 90% used things full of character. (Of course I hear things like, “Ewwwwe, everything is dead, old, and weird…doesn’t it scare your children?” But that’s another post. Today, I’ll focus on the positive things in my life.)

I said all this to say…do you bargain hunt? If you do…Do you dicker? Bargain? Haggle? I want to know. I’m writing a post on the tricks and treats of getting steals and deals. So click on the comment word below this post and tell all.

Simply Seeking,

Sis

It’s really simple. I love simple.

You have to decide you’re going to do it. If I was going to start running (a dream I’ve always had) I would have to decide no matter what, I’m running. If I did that, it wouldn’t matter what the weather was like or how I felt that day, I would run. I haven’t made that decision in my mind, yet or I would be a runner. Mind over matter.

Have a plan. So many people look at the numbers and say, ‘I think it’ll work…’ One spouse quits  and six months later they wake up with $20K in credit card bills because they didn’t have a plan. Save 3-6 months of expenses in an emergency fund, for true emergencies. Make a zero-based budget (where you have no money left over at the end of the month.) If possible try it for a month before you totally give up that other paycheck. There is lots of help out there, Dave Ramsey’s money plan is my favorite. His website is filled with free helpful advice. Check it out.

Cut costs.Coupons are fine, but I don’t clip them. I just shop at Aldis and Walmart every two weeks with a list made from a menu. Use only basic cable. Cull your phones. Do you need a landline or cell phone. Buy used clothing. Give homemade gifts. Set your thermostat higher in the summer and lower in the winter. Eat out only once a month. Cook from scratch. Simplify your families activities (your probably too busy anyway, gas and time are worth a lot, not to mention peace of mind.

Look at where you can save thousands. Refinance your home. Set it up on a 15 year fixed mortgage and pay it off early. Get the best deal on insurance for your car and home. The only life insurance you need is term life. Whole life and other variations are just scams.

Pay cash for used automobiles. That new car you bought or worse, leased, loses value faster than I can eat a biscuit. It’s like taking $100 bill and throwing it out the window every week. Lots of people are driving their retirement (if they aren’t eating it.) You can get a great used, low mileage car at a fraction of the price and taxes and insurance are cheaper. 

Once you start living on one paycheck, you’ll realize how much simplier your life is.

If you ask me…a simple life is a rich one.

Good Luck.

Sandhill Sis

Right now people are worried freaked out about their personal economy and America’s economy. Sadly, fear makes people do STUPID  things. If you are one of these people, and you want hope for your future, you need to check out this FREE NATIONWIDE EVENT.

This Townhall For Hope is FREE. It’s F-R-E-E. That’s no money. Don’t make fear-based decisions on what all the dramatic media mongers say.  Tune in on April 23, at 8pm to this nationwide event and find out what’s really happening in our economy. Click here to go directly to the website, to find a sponsor in your area or for more information.

You’ll be glad you did.

Simply,

Sandhill Sis